A goatherd from Cenes has been fined 3,001 euros for burying the carcass of one of his animals – he found part of its remains in the mountains and buried it on the spot.

A Seprona (Animal protection) patrol came across the grave because the microchip was still active, so they fined him for improper carcass disposal.

It sounds comical, but 3,000 euros in fines is not a laughing matter for most people in these times that we live.

The animal owner, Federico first found the animal missing from the flock and then a four days later found the remains of its carcass – wild boars had eaten most of it, leaving only the head and little more. As the spot was in the middle of nowhere (Tajo Madre de Diós) with difficult access, he decided that the most sensible thing to do was to bury it… Wrong!

The next thing he knew was that he had received notification of a 3,000-euro fine in the post from Seprona. They had found the tiny grave – little more than small hole containing the head and neck (with the chip in it).

He was not pleased and wrote back asking if a shepherd should call out a justice of the peace, a coroner and an undertaker should one on their animals die on them up in the mountains.

(News: Cenes de Granada, Granada, Andalucia)